I agree with Roger regarding the enforcement of the animal protection laws, slightly concerned though over the "municipalities being responsible for the strays and how they deal with them".Will this cause any problems for the various charities and groups who take in strays, care for them and arrange or try to arrange adoptions?

Yes, and smoking is banned in bars and restaurants. This new "law" is likely to go the same way. Having been involved with the joke that calls itself Kilkis Municipality at various points in the past on this subject, I wouldn't trust them to blow their own noses and find a bogey.

Overall it might not make a lot of difference, but it's one more step on Greece's long journey. What it means is that some councils might take action when they would not have before. It's up to citizens to continue to raise the pressure. Greece is changing and people like Bryan and Christina have raised the pressure on their council and produced some spectacular publicity and I think some tangible results, if not enough. To be fair animal welfare is not Greece's most pressing concern at the moment but should certainly be higher on the list. One factor among many others that drives animal cruelty is poverty and exploitation of animals. Even so, there is still plenty of animal cruelty in "rich" and "animal loving" countries like Britain. If people keep plugging away more ordinary Greeks will get the message and even some politicians.

We have seen enormous changes in animal welfare here in Kefalonia in the last 10 - 15 years. In earlier times it was always foreign nationals coming to Kefalonia Animal Trust for help with animal issues. Now it is 90% Greeks who are asking for help, especially with neutering, to reduce unwanted animal populations. Similarly there has been a shift in the way they view animals and we have seen much healthier animals, that are not left without shelter and adequate food. The ARK animal rescue shelter has taken many strays off the streets and hopefully the new laws will encourage more funding for them from local government.